PLNU News

This past month, PLNU hosted the H. Orton Wiley Lectures October 13-15, an annual academic lecture series sponsored by the School of Theology and Christian Ministry. Approximately 100-120 students and faculty attended each of the four public talks along with several other events, including a Brewed Awakening discussion sponsored by the Center for Justice and Reconciliation.

This year’s guest lecturer, Dr. M. Thomas Thangaraj, professor emeritus of world Christianity at the Chandler School of Theology at Emory University, led this year’s series entitled “Crossing Boundaries as a Spiritual Practice.”

Dr. Brad Kelle, director of the master of arts program in religion and professor of old testament, shared, “Dr. Thangaraj’s diverse and rich personal experience—as a native Christian in south India to a seminary professor in the U.S. and now back to his native India in retirement—gave him a unique perspective to reflect on the spiritual significance of all kinds of boundary-crossings for our lives.”

The series covered not only theological interests, but also the impact of crossing boundaries culturally, linguistically, and even musically. The lectures took a look at how crossing boundaries can be spiritual practices and means of grace that lead to spiritual formation and deeper experiences with God.

“The talks were especially relevant in a setting like PLNU, where so many of our students participate in boundary-crossing experiences as part of their college careers (through LoveWorks, study abroad programs, community classrooms, etc.),” said Kelle.

The lecture series was first given in 1951 by H. Orton Wiley, professor of theology and distinguished former president of the university. It has continued annually in his honor and focuses on areas of relevance to the Christian ministry from a Wesleyan perspective in areas of philosophy, theology, church history or biblical studies.

Survivors of human trafficking will have a chance to receive a free college education with the Beauty for Ashes Scholarship Fund led by PLNU's Center for Justice and Reconciliation (CJR). The CJR is launching a crowd-funding campaign to raise $40,000 in 40 days for the scholarship fund, which would be the first of its kind in the U.S. The campaign kicks off on Thursday, October 30th at “Just Saying” - a spoken word event in PLNU’s Brown Chapel at 7p.m..

Since 2005, PLNU’s CJR has been deeply committed to working against human trafficking in San Diego, which was identified by the FBI as one of the country’s high intensity areas for child prostitution. Human trafficking, the use of fraud, force or coercion to get someone to act against their will for little or no pay, has become a major U.S. crisis involving scores of minors and teens in most U.S. cities and at many local high schools.

The CJR’s wide array of work to abolish human trafficking in San Diego includes conducting research, which has led to its involvement and collaboration with local and national law enforcement, child welfare services, educators, researchers and victim service agencies.

Through victim service agencies, organizations that help survivors of human trafficking, Dr. Jamie Gates, director of the CJR and professor of cultural anthropology, first learned that from L.A. to San Diego, approximately two-dozen survivors are currently ready for a 4-year college education. And that number is increasing.

“One of the top three requests consistently for people coming out of that level of oppression is to be able to rebuild their lives by obtaining an education,” said Gates. “Unfortunately for most it is completely out of their reach to find funding and financial aid to attend a university. But what better education could someone coming out of such pain receive than to be surrounded by the compassionate Christian educational environment here at PLNU?”

The spoken word event on October 30th is to open to the public and marks the beginning of the crowdfunding campaign to raise enough money for the Beauty for Ashes Scholarship Fund to last in perpetuity. The initial goal is to raise $40,000, roughly the annual cost of fully funding a student through PLNU.

“God’s been opening doors, and I can only pray and hope that the financial doors will open as well,” said Gates. “This fund was the obvious next step if we’re going to be a university that gives ourselves fully to working against trafficking. We should be part of the solution in all things that we do, and our primary task is to educate and mentor students.”

The bulk of the scholarship will be for survivors of human trafficking to attend PLNU, while a smaller portion will be for students who are heading towards vocations in the abolition of human trafficking. Survivors’ information will be kept confidential by PLNU leadership and they will remain anonymous among the student population. For more information or to support the funding of this scholarship, please visit the Abolish Human Trafficking website.

On Sunday evening, August 24th, nearly 700 faculty, staff, students, alumni and friends gathered on PLNU’s main campus for the 3rd annual Pray for PLNU event. This year’s event marked the first time that incoming students and their families were also invited to participate ahead of this week’s New Student Orientation (NSO).

“In three short years, the event has become a significant time for the entire PLNU community,” said PLNU Dean of Students, Jeff Bolster. “This event provides a foundation for the business and excitement of NSO and the start of the new school year.”

The evening began in Brown Chapel at 5:00pm for an opening time of worship led by George Williamson, PLNU’s Director of Worship Ministries. President Bob Brower provided welcome remarks and shared his vision for the year ahead. After brief instructions from Bolster, participants spread out across the campus to pray.

As in previous years, special attention was given to the residence halls, as the names of all new and returning students were posted on each doorway, allowing them to be prayed for by name. Additionally, offices, classrooms, labs, and numerous other campus locations, including the off campus sites of the Liberty Station Conference Center and Colony Apartments were covered in prayer. One place in particular was Brown Chapel. University Chaplain, Tim Whetsone, and San Diego First Church pastor, Melissa Tucker, led a group in prayer over each seat in preparation for chapel this coming year.

Sunday’s event concluded in Brown with a time of worship and a devotional from Norm Shoemaker, the Founding Director of the Center for Pastoral Leadership at PLNU. Ron Benefiel, Dean of the School of Theology and Christian Ministry, brought the evening to a close with a time of prayer and anointing over President and Linda Brower.

Hosted by the Offices of Student Development, Spiritual Development, the School of Theology, the PLNU Alumni Association, and the Center for Pastoral Leadership, Sunday's Pray for PLNU marked the beginning of another exciting year ahead. For more information, visit PLNU's website.

INDIANAPOLIS- Point Loma Nazarene University revieved notification from the NCAA Membership Committee that it has been recommended to the NCAA Management Council to become an active NCAA Division II member beginning in the 2014-2015 season.

See the complete NCAA release and a list of all the universities that advanced in their transition to the NCAA.

The Sea Lions will now await the final step of confirmation, on July 21-22, before they are formally accepted into the NCAA.

Upon approval, there will be recognition of this landmark achievement on the Point Loma campus over the week of September 1-6 when all the students return to mark the first week with PLNU as a fully-fledged NCAA member.

May 10th, 2014 marked the 109th Commencement at PLNU. There were three ceremonies, honoring 598 graduating students, held throughout the day in the university's historic Greek Amphitheatre.

The celebrations began at 10am with the Graduate Convocation. Ron Benefiel, Ph.D., Dean of Theology and Christian Ministry at PLNU, offered a special prayer to the 235 graduate students.

The first of two undergraduate ceremonies began at 1p.m., for the 275 students graduation from the College of Arts and Sciences, School of Education, School of Nursing. 323 students from the College of Social Sciences and Professional Studies walked across the Greek Amphitheatre stage at 4p.m. to accept their diplomas in the final, and largest, event of the day.

The keynote "Making the Point" address for both undergraduate ceremonies was given by Kim Hogelucht, Ph.D. Associate Professor of Business in the Fermanian School of Business at PLNU. The two ceremonies also honored each student with the highest GPA in work done at PLNU. Biology Major, Dawn Michelle Gorel was honored during the 1p.m. ceremony for her 4.000 GPA and Accounting and Business Administration Major, Nicholas Michael Erze was honored at 4p.m. for his GPA of 3.997.

(San Diego, Calif. – May 6, 2014) – She has been called “the quintessential water-woman,” and on May 6th, PLNU Junior, Emmy Merrill proved her dominance once again.

On the final day of the StandUp Paddle (SUP) surfing portion of the 2014 ISA World StandUp Paddle and Paddleboard Championship (WSUPPC) in Nicaragua, Emmy took home the gold in the women’s SUP Surfing event.

With 27 countries representing five continents, the 2014 ISA Championship events in Nicaragua kicked off on Sunday, May 4th. The 2014 Men’s and Women’s SUP Surfing Gold Medalists were decided on Tuesday with excellent performances from the best men and women SUP Surfers in very contestable waves in La Boquita, Nicaragua.

Emmy, the 2012 ISA WSUPPC Gold Medalist, came out of qualifying rounds with a strong performance, posting the highest total heat score of the round. She took the gold on Tuesday with a score of 13.50. The 2014 ISA WSUPPC victory is the latest achievement for the talented Merrill who has been a fierce competitor since her days at San Clemente High School. We had a chance to sit down with Emmy after her 2012 gold, read the Q&A on PLNU’s blog.

Photo credit ISA/Rommel

Alum, External Relations, Office of Community & Government Relations, PLNU